AlumniGazetteWESTERN’S ALUMNI MAGAZINE SINCE 1939 SPRING/SUMMERSPRING 20102011 IBM TURNS 100 WITH WESTERN AT HELM GLOBAL ARCHBISHOP ALLASTER STREETS ENSURES SERVES UP BY iLOOKABOUTiLOOKABOUT VOICES ARE HEARD TENNIS You don’t need a better Financial Advisor. You need a great one. Like any great relationship, this one takes Just log on to www.accretiveadvisor.com hard work. and use the “Investor Discovery™” to lead you to the Financial Advisor who’s Choosing the right Advisor is the key to best for you and your family. a richer life in every way. After all, the only thing at stake here But to get what you deserve, you need is the rest of your financial life. 13 to act. Right now wouldn’t be a moment too soon. www.accretiveadvisor.com 05 LETTERS Alumnus inspired to rant and reminisce 08 CAMPUS NEWS New MRI opens world of opportunities on campus 35 BEST KEPT SECRET Western keeps space travel safe 36 NEW RELEASES Cheers! BY RICHARD BAIN, BA’77 A more successful financial relationship™ SPRING/SUMMER 2011 EDITION 3 AlumniGazette CONTENTS ALL THE WORLD’S A 11 STAGE FOR DIALOGUE Rahim Kanini lauches World Affairs Commentary BY DAVID SCOTT BIG BLUE FUELED 13 BY BIG PURPLE Western alumnus at helm of IBM Canada BY JASON WINDERS, MES’10 SERVING UP TENNIS IN 20 THE DIGITAL AGE Stacey Allaster heads up Women’s Tennis Association BY LAURA JANECKA You don’t need a better ILOOKABOUT ON 22 LOOKOUT AROUND Financial Advisor. THE GLOBE Jeff Young’s streetscape company making it big BY NICOLE LAIDLER, BA’03, MA’04 You need a great one. ARCHBISHOP ENSURES 25 VOICES ARE HEARD Archbishop Thomas Collins’ work is recognized Like any great relationship, this one takes Just log on to www.accretiveadvisor.com BY ShELDON GORDON hard work. and use the “Investor Discovery™” to lead you to the Financial Advisor who’s Choosing the right Advisor is the key to best for you and your family. On the cover: Former IBM Canada presidents Bill Etherington, BESc’63, a richer life in every way. LLD’98, and John Thompson, BESc’66, LLD’94, (back row) and current IBM After all, the only thing at stake here Canada president Bruce Ross, BESc’85, are honoured to serve IBM and But to get what you deserve, you need celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary. (Photo by Shawn Simpson) is the rest of your financial life. 13 to act. Right now wouldn’t be a moment too soon. www.accretiveadvisor.com DEPARTMENTS 05 LETTERS 38 CONSUMER GUIDE Alumnus inspired to rant Five ways to make your carbon @ alumnigazette.ca and reminisce footprint smaller DR. CHRISTOPHER BRANDL, BSC’81, 08 CAMPUS NEWS 39 MEMORIES BREWS UP CANCER THERAPIES WITH YEAST New MRI opens world of Convocation from halls to BY REBECCA ST. PIERRE opportunities on campus stadiums to gyms BY ALAN NOON FORMER IBM PRESIDENT JACK BRENT, 35 BEST KEPT SECRET HBA’31, LLD’72, WAS GREAT LEADER Western keeps space travel safe 40 ALMANAC Former Mustang Fantuz signs COMPLETE INTERVIEW WITH WORLD NEW RELEASES 36 with Chicago Bears AFFAIRS COMMENTARY FOUNDER Cheers! RAHIM KANINI, BA’06 BY RICHARD BAIN, BA’77 BY DAVID SCOTT A more successful financial relationship™ SPRING/SUMMER 2011 EDITION 3 AlumniGazette EDITOR’S Spring/Summer 2011 (ISSN 1189-6272) Editor: David Scott NOTEBOOK Executive Editor: Jason Winders MES’10 WITH DAVID SCOTT Director, Alumni & Development Communications: Diana Cunningham Publisher: Helen Connell, MBA’96 Art Director: Terry Rice, BFA’98, MA’00 Staff , Faculty & Volunteer Contributors: Steve Anderson, Jenn Davila, Kris Dundas, Karmen Dowling, Susanna Eayrs, TAKING TIME TO THINK ABOUT SUCCESS Keri Ferguson, Maureen Spencer Golovchenko, Mathew Hoy, Douglas Keddy, Kathryn Kinahan, Scott May, Paul Mayne, Imagine being hired right out of school by Th is adulation for the corporate archetype Rob Pott er, Sonia Preszcator, Terry Rice, Angie Wiseman, one of the most successful, enduring and isn’t just limited to 100 years of survival at all Marcia Steyaert, Allison Stevenson, Heather Travis, progressive blue chip companies in the world costs and turning a profi t. It sounds clichéd but Janis Wallace, Kathy Wallis, Scott Woods with opportunities to progress through the IBM actually cares about its employees. Photography/Art: ABC News, Archdiocese of Toronto, ranks for your entire working life. In 1914, 76 years before the Americans IBM Canada, iLOOKABOUT, Rahim Kanini, Douglas Keddy, In today’s world, there’s scarce chance of With Disabilities Act was passed, they hired Charles Lindsay, London Free Press Collection/Western Archives, that happening. their fi rst disabled worker. In 1932, the Paul Mayne, NASA, Wilfred Ng, Terry Rice, Shawn Simpson But for four graduates of Western, three of company started an Education Department for (SWS Photography), offi cial White House Photo by Pete Souza, them engineering alumni, the recruitment by its employees and its customers. Th e Tony Blair Foundation, Topps Cards, Heather Travis IBM Canada not only off ered an enjoyable, Rather than reduce staff during the Advertising Inquiries: Denise Jones, 519-661-2111, ext. 85460; rewarding career path but eventually led to the Depression, IBM hired additional employees in [email protected] privilege of leading the company itself. Th ree support of President F.D.R.’s National Recovery Editorial Advisory Board: Gary Blazak, MA’79, Chris Makuch, past presidents/CEOs of IBM Canada, and the Administration plan. Founder Th omas J. BA’93 (King’s), Helen Connell, MBA’96, Kris Dundas, BA’94, current president, are Western alumni. You can Watson Sr. not only kept his workforce MA’95, Susanna Eayrs, Jim Etherington, BA’61, Terry Rice, BFA’98, read about them in the pages of this issue and employed, he increased their benefi ts. IBM MA’00, Marcia Steyaert, BA’96, Janis Wallace, BMus’75, BEd’76, online at: www.alumnigazett e.ca was among the fi rst corporations to provide Jason Winders, MES’10 Th e International Business Machines group life insurance (1934), survivor benefi ts Guest Contributors: Sheldon Gordon, Laura Janecka, corporation turns 100 years old on June (1935) and paid vacations (1936). In 1935, IBM Nicole Laidler, BA’04, MA’04, Chris Makuch, BA’93, Alan Noon, 16, 2011. It would be a very diff erent world opened the fi rst professional training school Tom Nugent, Paul Wells, BA’89 we live in without a century of IBM. It has for women. Th e Alumni Gazett e is published three times annually by gone from selling meat slicers to marketing In 1941, IBM hired Dr. Michael Supa to the Department of Communications & Public Aff airs in seemingly indispensable technology. make its products more useable by the visually partnership with Alumni Western and the Department of Everything from bar codes at grocery impaired. Dr. Supa was blind. Th e company Alumni Relations & Development. stores and automatic traffi c lights to systems introduced a Disabled Employee Training For publication dates or to make submissions, contact the needed to book your vacation fl ight. program in 1942. In 1943, Ruth Leach became managing editor at 519-661-2111 ext. 87482, e-mail at IBM Global Services formed in 1991, IBM’s fi rst female vice-president. T. J. Laster, dscott [email protected] or mail at Th e University of Western Ontario, Suite 360, Westminster Hall, London, Ontario, largely from the very successful IBM Canada IBM’s fi rst black sales representative, was hired N6A 3K7. Forward change of address information to model developed under the leadership of in 1946. In 1953, Th omas J. Watson Jr. issues [email protected] or call (local) 519-661-4176 or alumnus John Th ompson, BESc’66, LLD’94, the company’s fi rst Equal Opportunity Policy (toll-free) 1-800-420-7519. and expanded across the globe. It is the fastest Lett er. Th e American Civil Rights Act comes Printed in Canada. growing segment of IBM with close to 200,000 more than a decade later in 1964. Publication Agreement #40069342 employees serving customers in more than 160 Maybe IBM discovered decades ago what Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: countries. other corporations and some governments University of Western Ontario, Don’t forget this is a company that once around the globe have still not learned: Th at Suite 360, Westminster Hall, produced electric typewriters. Th e Selectric when you respect and support the people London, ON N6A 3K7 was a staple in the offi ce environment for a who make your company or country function, Read the Gazett e online at: generation or more. But being progressive and you reap the rewards of not only profi t but www.alumnigazette.ca successful means at some point you have to also loyalty, and mutual respect . cannibalize your own product and come out with something bett er. Adapt to the changing David Scott times and technology. dscott [email protected] 4 ALUMNIGAZETTE.CA SPRING/SUMMER 2011 EDITION 5 LETTERS of the 1951 Occidentalia, you’ll fi nd a sexy interesting. photo of me on page 83, serving as the cover I smiled for a few minutes aft er reading the page of the Student Government section. I Editor’s Note on ‘Finding Hidden Treasure.’ am as well one of the fi rst recipients of the I will no longer put my Alumni Gazett es on Honour Society award when it was created in the shelf when they come in the mail. I will 1952. I was also vice-president that year of the now become an avid reader. Th e historical National Federation of University Students, information, the connection with London/ Nifcus, as we called it in those days.